


Countenance Of A Deity

by autumndark



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Spirits, Influenced by Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends, M/M, cute poetic fluff with very light angst, demon ong, fox spirit minhyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 00:47:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14069256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumndark/pseuds/autumndark
Summary: 'A god without followers is useless', some spirits will say.Minhyun is a fox spirit with a diminishing amount of devotees as the humans slowly abandon their local traditions in favour of modern technology. Bound to his shrine, he is hapless to live out his remaining days in the quiet solitude of the forest.One day, a demon named Ong Seongwoo chances upon him.





	Countenance Of A Deity

**Author's Note:**

> so i finally wrote this au after basically making a deal with the devil, except that i was the devil and i suckered both myself and jo into suffering for the sake of onghwang ;A;
> 
> the idea for this was heavily inspired by the anime/manga Natsume Yuujinchou! and i used its universe of the spirit world as a loose reference but you do not need to have watched it to understand what is going on~
> 
> enjoy!
> 
> (this fic is highkey dedicated to [catastrophes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/catastrophes/) ♡)

The train doors open and reveal a man dressed in a suit on the other side, standing in the middle of the station platform.

Minhyun has never seen this man before, but as he exits the train, Minhyun finds his feet subconsciously bringing him towards the stranger and stopping before him.

Passengers and pedestrians rush around the pair as they stand alone, untouched in their own fleeting bubble of serenity. 

It is almost as though time has slowed down.

The man watches him calmly, running his eyes over Minhyun’s form and remains standing in silence. It feels natural to approach the unknown man; if Minhyun’s presence unnerves him, he doesn’t let it show.

Something about this man feels familiar, even though Minhyun is sure that he has not met this person before. 

The stranger holds himself confidently, a relaxed self-confidence that exudes charisma. At his full height, the man appears to be only slightly shorter than Minhyun, with a lanky build and prominent bone structure. As Minhyun brings his eyes up to the man’s face, he thinks that his level of self-assurance is understandable as the man has an objectively very attractive face. 

Biting his lip apprehensively, Minhyun decides to take a gamble.

“Do I know you?” asks Minhyun, in a soft meek voice.

Ignoring his question, the man says nothing and continues to stare at Minhyun scrutinisingly, as though he is trying to imprint Minhyun’s visage into his mind.

Although curious, Minhyun debates whether he should walk away and leave the odd, handsome man to his own devices. Inexplicably, there is something about the man that keeps Minhyun feeling drawn in. 

As Minhyun dithers in his decision to leave, the man makes Minhyun’s choice for him, spinning on his heel and sauntering towards the stairs, heading towards the platform’s exit.

Before he leaves Minhyun’s presence entirely, the man mutters something under his breath, so quietly that Minhyun thinks he might have misheard.

His lips move and the sound carries over the chatter of other travellers before being swallowed up by the noise of the station.

“You look good, Hwang Minhyun.”

Time speeds up and the man disappears into the crowd, leaving Minhyun standing confused, alone on the platform.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The forest is quiet and peaceful on days like today.

Sunshine bleeds through the air and the wind rustles through branches playfully, shaking the leaves and drawing birds out from their hiding spots. 

There are not many traces of humans and their contraptions in this forest, and nature is allowed to flourish undisturbed. People rarely walk these old pathways anymore and the nearest village lies beyond the edge of the trees, further away the mountain. Even then, the size of the village has shrunken over time and the humans do not have much need to venture out into the wilderness anymore.

Ever since the twin Park spirits had left the forest, seeking change and excitement in the more populated areas, Minhyun finds that he spends most of his days alone in the solitude of his own thoughts. 

He does not get many visitors these days.

Some spirits say that the most important thing for a provincial god is the amount of offerings they receive and how large their following is. That the amount of power they hold and the value of their worth is directly related to the strength of the beliefs held by their devotees.

 _‘What the use of being a god with no followers and no power?’_ they had laughed.

The area around Minhyun’s shrine has been barren of any new gifts for a while, and weeds and stubborn plants are starting to encroach upon the steps of his modest altar.

As the villagers grew older and farmed less, there were less offerings being made and blessings received in exchange, so much so that Minhyun wonders how many of the humans remember the existence of a fox spirit guarding the village in the first place.

During the summer and spring months, children from the village used to play in the forest clearing and some even brought fruits to leave for Minhyun. Unlike some other spirits, Minhyun had always found the humans to be rather cute and harmless creatures, and he would watch the children with a fond smile even if he knew that they could not see him.

That was a long time ago.

The humans have grown more capable and independent nowadays, and seem to be faring well on their own without the need of a god to protect them from harsh weather or sickness.

Alone out in the forest clearing, perhaps it is a little lonely.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Minhyun gets a visitor today.

He hears the man’s footsteps first, the unusual sound of shoes crunching on gravel amidst the chirping of birds and chittering of woodland creatures.

A young man emerges from between the trees and walks into Minhyun’s clearing, striding languidly towards the shrine and kneeling down at the foot of the steps, close to where Minhyun is sitting.

Spirits are not visible to normal humans and so Minhyun takes the opportunity to observe the man, knowing that the other is unable to see him. Leaning in close, Minhyun watches the man take out a small candle and set it down in front of the shrine before lighting it, settling himself down into a praying position.

Minhyun frowns.

Something about the man’s aura is not quite right.

The fact that someone new would come all the way to pay their respects to Minhyun's dilapidated shrine is strange in and of itself, however there are all sorts of reasons for why humans choose to come and pray. 

Over the years, Minhyun has seen a number of one-time visitors who came because they felt lost or worried or heavily burdened, and chose to seek respite in the myths of the village’s benevolent fox spirit after being backed into a corner. Courteously, Minhyun always welcomes them with a thankful heart and delivers to them what little blessings he can offer.

Instead, there is something about the man himself that is _‘off’_.

The light on the candle goes out and the man reaches for a new match, lighting it again before continuing to pray.

The man looks human but the air around him smells strange. Narrowing his eyes, Minhyun peers into the man’s handsome face, close enough that Minhyun would be able to feel the other’s breath on his cheeks if not for the porcelain mask that Minhyun wears over his face. 

It is a quaint little mask that bears resemblance to the normal foxes that live in the woods. Now that the twins Jihoon and Woojin are no longer around, Minhyun tends to leave it on all of the time.

Once he has finished praying, the man blows out the candle and sits back. He appears to be unbothered by Minhyun’s close proximity and spends some time taking in the scenery, his eyes roving around as he looks past Minhyun and around the clearing. Seemingly fascinated by the forest, the man stares for so long that it makes Minhyun turn around to check if there is anything special about the trees today.

 _They look the same as always._

The man abruptly gets up and Minhyun scurries to move out of the way to avoid being walked into. Most humans pass through when they walk into a spirit but the feeling is always unpleasant for both parties involved.

Gathering his things, the man leaves the same way that he had arrived. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It would seem that Minhyun has gained a new follower.

The mysterious man visits two more times, coming and going in the same way, and only staying long enough to light a candle and say a quick prayer before leaving.

Normally, Minhyun would be grateful and pleased at his dedicated new arrival however he cannot seem to shake off the distrustful feeling that the man awakens in him. 

It does not help that although the man is sending prayers, Minhyun does not experience a surge in power nor even a hint of warmth inside him when the man clasps his hands tightly together.

It is almost as if the man might as well not be visiting at all.

Foxes tend to have good instincts and right now Minhyun’s are screaming at him that this human is bad news.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A light rain is drizzling in the clearing today and the sky is overcast with thick grey clouds.

The man has brought with him a new addition to his offerings this time; a small bottle of expensive soju is held within the grasp of his bony fingers as he approaches his usual spot on the altar, placing it down gently on the wooden floor beside where his customary candle will sit.

Suspicious, Minhyun does not approach the human closely anymore. Instead, he opts to observe the man from a safer distance further away, outside of the immediate vicinity of the shrine and closer to the edge of the forest, yet making sure to keep his shrine within his sight. Besides, if Minhyun wanders off too far, the pull of the shrine will become too strong to resist and the fox spirit is helpless to remain within the shrine’s invisible boundary lines.

Cautiously, he also ensures to keep his mask tightly on and secured in order to protect his identity. 

Personally, Minhyun has not met a human gifted enough and powerful enough to take control of his body but, like all spirits, he has heard the cautionary tales. 

They say that once an ill-intentioned human with strong spiritual energy learns of a spirit’s true name and face, they are able to take away that spirit’s free will and bind the spirit to themselves, imprisoning them and harnessing the spirit’s power for their own purposes.

For a spirit, that is a fate worse than being devoured by a demon.

Minhyun watches as the man finishes his prayer and takes out two cups from the bag that he had brought with him. He pours the soju into both cups generously, filling them to the brim, and sets one of the cups down in front of Minhyun’s altar. 

Quietly, Minhyun waits for the man to finish drinking his own cup and leave before returning to his shrine.

It takes a while because the man sips idly at the alcohol while lazing around, carefree mood unhampered by the sullen weather. 

When he is finally done, the man packs up his things and departs in the same fashion that he always does; walking out of the forest clearing and into the thick of the tall trees with evenly-measured steps.

Allowing himself to let his guard down by a fraction now that the threat is gone, Minhyun approaches his shrine and finds that the full cup of soju that the man had left for him is still sitting in the middle of his altar. 

Unfortunately, although he appreciates the gesture, Minhyun is not fond of the taste of alcohol and promptly picks up the cup and empties it onto the grass beside his shrine. 

He does not trust the man enough to drink it anyway.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The routine repeats itself until one day, as Minhyun watches the man set up the cups and open the bottle of soju, Minhyun voices out a thought unexpectedly.

The man pours the first cup for himself and starts filling the second one.

“I don’t drink.” says Minhyun, voice ringing out sharply in the clearing and piercing the silence.

Humans cannot hear spirits either and Minhyun does not expect a response.

“In that case, I’ll drink yours too.” replies the man, not missing a beat.

From where Minhyun is standing, away from the shrine, he cannot see the man’s face but the posture of his back looks relaxed as ever and he calmly continues about his motions without a shred of unease.

Most likely, the man had known that Minhyun has been here since the beginning.

Glaring at the man from behind his mask, Minhyun makes a bold accusation.

“Why do you keep coming here, demon?” asks Minhyun with conviction, staying near the edge of the forest clearing.

The man, _demon_ , turns around and meets Minhyun’s gaze directly. He barks out a laugh before twisting his features into a haughty smirk. Now that Minhyun knows his secret, the demon allows his human disguise to drop and stops acting. 

Appearance-wise, the demon does not look that different. The most noticeable change is the pair of elongated horns that grow out of two points on his head, glinting when they catch the light and look surprisingly blunt at the ends. Furthermore, his eyes have also become less human-looking and more animalistic, however the difference is subtle.

The real change is in the atmosphere. Minhyun almost has to physically stumble back at the raw power that sings in the air and the distinct scent of _demon_ that fills his nose. It is smokey and metallic, and it makes all of Minhyun’s hairs stand on end.

“You should know by now.” offers the demon, resting his face in his palm and leaning back, sprawling out on the altar like it belongs to him.

Trying to appear unaffected, Minhyun raises his chin and stands up straighter but he cannot help the anxious twitching of his tail behind him, belying his fear.

The demon arises and walks toward Minhyun.

“You’re getting weaker now, aren’t you?” says the demon, casually. 

He stops when he gets about halfway across the clearing.

“Don’t worry, little fox. I think you’ll find that I’m actually quite nice, for a demon.” He chuckles and throws Minhyun a smug grin that the fox spirit does not return.

Clenching his jaw, Minhyun bites out, “Somehow, I doubt that.” 

Smiling and shrugging in a faux innocent fashion, the demon turns and walks out, blithely tossing a farewell over his shoulder.

“See you next time.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Minhyun’s already diminishing amount of acolytes continues its slow decline and he can feel his power growing weaker by the day.

Recently, the fox spirit had felt himself lose two more followers and wonders how many days he has remaining. 

It is not a huge bereavement, the presence of the pair had always been faint, a fleeting faith characteristic of children who had grown up listening to stories told to them by their parents and grandparents until it had become a believable truth. Over time, as they grew older, they would eventually make up their own minds and dismiss the concept of spirit gods as children’s fables.

Rationalising the loss does little to dull the sting of rejection though, and Minhyun’s worries increase as his strength fades. 

 _He does not have much time left._

Not to mention, Minhyun also has a demon caller to worry about.

Instinctively, Minhyun’s ears twitch, perking up at the sounds of nearing footsteps.

 _Speak of the devil._

Turning around, Minhyun spots the figure making his way through the shade of the trees, the telltale pair of horns characterising his darkened silhouette. 

“You’re like a vulture, hovering around the presence of death.” announces Minhyun, letting the demon know that he has noticed him.

The demon waits until he is closer to the shrine before chuckling. 

“Don’t be like that, darling,” comes the reply, “I even brought food this time.” 

The other man stops and holds up a cloth bag filled with steamed buns and dumplings, as well as a small selection of fresh fruits. Setting his bag down by the altar, the demon extracts his usual candle and lights it before he starts plating out the food on the wooden floor between them.

Watching the demon casually distributing food in front of him, Minhyun thinks that he almost looks harmless, like a simple human and not a demonic spirit that preys on weakening spirits like himself, waiting for an opportune moment to strike and absorb all of his spiritual energy. 

The demon before him is obviously mature and carries himself with the sort of confidence that only comes with knowing that one is powerful enough to fear very little. Even at full power, Minhyun does not know if he would be able to fight this demon and win - not alone, anyway.

With a morbid curiosity, Minhyun cannot help but wonder how much it would hurt if he let himself be eaten by this demon.

Perhaps that might even be a more worthwhile end to his existence than simply disappearing once he has outlived his use as a village god.

“Ong Seongwoo.” says the demon, suddenly breaking the silence.

Drawn out of his thoughts, Minhyun looks up and stares at the demon in confusion.

The demon smiles amicably, as though they are friends meeting up for a picnic in the forest, and repeats himself.

He clarifies “Ong Seongwoo, my name.” 

“I didn’t ask.” says Minhyun, narrowing his eyes. When the demon merely shrugs in reply, Minhyun huffs and continues “Don’t expect me to tell you my name just because you’ve told me yours.”

Seongwoo smiles unaffectedly and picks up a _hallabong_ fruit, peeling it with his fingers. 

“Why? Are you scared that I’ll use it to control you?” says the demon, popping a segment of the fruit into his mouth and licking the juice off his fingers. "You seem to be forgetting that I’m not a human, so I don’t need to know your name and face to do that. If I wanted it, you’d already be dead, you know.”

The tone the demon uses sounds kind, like he and Minhyun are discussing the weather, however there is a dangerous glint to his eyes.

“Besides,” elaborates Seongwoo, smiling widely and showing off his fangs, “I already know everything I need to know about you, Hwang Minhyun.”

Minhyun cannot help the small gasp he lets out at the admission. Behind him, his tail flops restlessly, and Minhyun has to catch it with his hands and gather it onto his lap to keep it still.

“The older villagers surprisingly had quite a lot written down about you, Minhyun, their beloved golden fox god.” Seongwoo pauses to glance at Minhyun’s ears and tail, making Minhyun shiver anxiously. The demon continues "It’s too bad there aren’t that many of them left.”

“Are you-“ starts Minhyun, panicking slightly.

Seongwoo lifts a hand and waves him off dismissively. “Don’t worry, you still have some time remaining.” 

He leans over and takes one of Minhyun’s wrists, placing a new _hallabong_ fruit into the spirit’s hand.

“Why don’t you take off your mask and eat something, these are in season so they’re sweet and ripe at the moment.”

Minhyun removes the demon’s hand and scoots backwards so that the two are not sitting so closely together. He glares at the demon, lifting both hands to his mask protectively.

He chides the demon. “Don’t you have anything better to do?"

Cradling a cup of soju now, Seongwoo looks calm and composed in comparison to Minhyun’s distraught posture and mental distress.

Smiling secretively, the demon patiently replies Minhyun before sipping at his drink. 

“I have plenty of time. Don’t worry your pretty head about that."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A week has passed since the incident at the train station before Minhyun chances upon the same man again, this time as he is walking back home.

It is early enough in the evening that the streets are amassed with both people going out for dinner and those returning home after eating already. 

Amongst the crowd, Minhyun sees him.

The suited man stands on the corner of a crowded intersection but once again he looks untouched by the harried rush of the people around him. 

A beat passes and the traffic lights change. As people start crossing the road, the man stays in place, checking his phone as though he is waiting for someone or something. 

Deciding that it is not his business, Minhyun ignores his curiosity and resumes walking along the street. As he passes the man, he sneaks a peek only to find that the other is already staring at him. 

Faltering, Minhyun offers a quick apology and makes to leave when the man grasps his wrist in a gentle hold, so light that Minhyun had initially thought that his hand had somehow gotten tangled up in the man’s tie instead.

“Have you eaten yet?” enquires the man in a low, dulcet tone that Minhyun had faintly heard during their first encounter.

Shocked and caught off-guard, Minhyun looks up from his wrist and answers honestly, shaking his head.

The mystery man continues, asking “Would you like to have dinner with me?”

It is unexpected but the man voices the question like a statement, as though he is confident that Minhyun will not refuse him.

He is correct.

Minhyun does not consider himself to be terribly shy however he is not the type to befriend random strangers on a daily basis either. As he pauses in the street and takes in the other’s wide brown eyes and upturned lips, Minhyun finds himself agreeing to the man’s impromptu invitation in an uncharacteristic display of spontaneity. 

There is something vague clinging to the essence of the other man that draws Minhyun in, piquing his interest like an ever-fleeting forgotten thought that keeps escaping his clutches, slipping just out of reach.

Smiling at his easy acceptance, the man brings Minhyun to a trendy restaurant and bar located a couple of streets over, informing Minhyun that it is a favourite of his with a lively yet cozy atmosphere.

“I think you’ll like it.” remarks the man, looking over his shoulder back at Minhyun as he leads the way.

The walk over is short and brisk, and neither party initiates much conversation, yet Minhyun does not feel the customary awkwardness that comes with interacting with a stranger, nor the need to entertain or engage the other man. 

Reflecting upon it, Minhyun frowns in consternation. 

With any other person, Minhyun would be trying to find out more about them and their intentions however with this particular man, who had suddenly appeared in Minhyun’s life like a glaringly prominent apparition that he cannot ignore, Minhyun allows the other man direct him without complaint.

 _His mind races, quietly panicking, and tries to reason that he should not trust the stranger…_

The man turns around and graces Minhyun with an oddly fond look. “Nearly there.” he says.

 _…yet his heart swells with the warmth of reuniting with a forgotten friend._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Arriving at the restaurant, Minhyun notes that it looks exactly like the other man had described: comfortable yet chic with rich darkwood floors and artfully decorated with a plethora of tiny plants and trees. 

Pausing at the entranceway, Minhyun glances around the restaurant in silent awe.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” says his companion, a hint of pride in his voice.

“Yes, it’s lovely. I like it a lot.” replies Minhyun, gazing at the little birds painted on the wall.

It is almost like they have managed to bring a touch of the calming peace of the forest into a sleek modern design.

“I knew you would.” says the man before turning to the counter.

Before Minhyun can ask him what he means, the waitress shows the pair to a booth and Minhyun thanks her before sitting. Sliding down onto the bench opposite him, his companion orders a bottle of soju and some tea from her before flipping through the food menu.

Minhyun looks at his own menu briefly before switching his attention to the man facing him. Chewing his lip, Minhyun ponders how to approach the conversation so that he can finally get some answers to his questions, but in order to do that Minhyun needs to sort out his own thoughts first and he is not really sure if he can.

 _What do you say to someone who feels familiar but you have never met before?_

Frustratingly, Minhyun cannot decide what he wants to say, or even how he feels, let alone attempt to put them into words.

Unfortunately, he is forced into making a decision sooner when the man looks up from his menu and raises his eyebrows at Minhyun questioningly.

“Um.” says Minhyun intelligently. 

“Don’t be so scared,” laughs the stranger, smiling fondly at Minhyun. “I’m not going to eat you.”

Blinking rapidly in confusion, Minhyun repeats “Eat me? Why would I think that?"

Inexplicably, the man laughs again and shrugs, examining Minhyun with a strangely affectionate expression that makes Minhyun feel like an outsider in his own body, floundering around grasping at straws when he is still missing a crucial puzzle piece.

“Indeed. Why would you think that Hwang Minhyun?” says the man cryptically, propping his elbow on the table and placing his cheek into his hand.

 _So the man did say his name the first time, this confirms it._

“How do you know my name? Have we met before?” demands Minhyun, leaning forward over the table, seeking answers.

The man is saved from providing a reply by the waitress returning with their drinks order, placing down an expensive-looking bottle of soju and two glasses onto the middle of their table.

“I will be back with your tea shortly, gentlemen.” she informs, bowing slightly.

After she leaves, the man pulls over the glasses and pours the alcohol into both of them yet keeps both glasses on his side of the table. 

Furrowing his brow, Minhyun observes the other man’s behaviour. When the bottle had arrived, Minhyun had been prepared to tell the man that he does not drink but he finds it unusual that the other had not even bothered to offer.

Eventually, Minhyun decides that he has other more pressing issues to deal with first and turns his attention back on the man.

“Well?” prompts Minhyun, staring challengingly into the other’s eyes, “Aren’t you going to answer? Who even are you?”

Leaning back and sipping slowly at his cup of soju, his enigmatic companion does not appear to be in any hurry to answer.

“I’m Ong Seongwoo and you’re Hwang Minhyun, but how we know each other doesn’t matter.” he says eventually, setting down his empty cup and refilling it.

It is not an actual answer and they both know it but upon hearing the other’s name, the urge to seek answers quells inside Minhyun all on it’s own. 

The traitorous part of Minhyun that feels drawn to Seongwoo grows bigger and wants only to bask in the other man’s presence rather than risk pushing him away with an interrogation, and foolishly Minhyun lets it win over his rational mind for now.

Seongwoo leans forward again, unaware or uncaring of Minhyun’s inner turmoil and pins Minhyun with a heavy stare of his own. 

“Tell me about your life. What’s it like?”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Time passes by and Minhyun talks. 

Over dinner, Minhyun ends up telling this stranger about his job at the consulting company; about how he works in the legal department and the work is boring with long hours, how he holds a slight jealousy towards his coworkers who get to travel the country and globe for their jobs but he stays stagnant in the office, how if given the chance he would want to pursue a career where he has the opportunity to interact more with the natural world.

Seongwoo listens patiently with a enraptured expression even as Minhyun talks about his mundane life and trivial complaints. Nodding at all the right moments, and sprinkling in little jokes and anecdotes that make the conversation topics lighter and flow more freely.

The man is on his seventh glass of soju by now and Minhyun wonders how he can appear so unaffected, making coherent sentences when Minhyun would already be a blushing mess by then. 

Topping up both of their teacups with a fragrant white tea, Seongwoo then presses Minhyun to talk about his friends and social life, and whether or not he is involved in a relationship.

The other man’s forwardness throws Minhyun off-kilter and he swallows hard before answering the simple question. Once again, for some incomprehensible reason, Minhyun feels as though he wants to say the right answers to the man’s questions, almost as though he is passing an interview.

“Ah- Well, of course I have colleagues that I’m pretty close with. I have lunch with them sometimes, and occasionally my boss will invite me to dinner.” Minhyun pauses and lifts a finger to play with the rim of his teacup. He continues speaking after clearing his throat. “Also I have some friends from school that I hang out with every now and then. Um, nothing on the romantic front yet.”

“I see.” says Seongwoo, contemplatively.

The other man narrows his eyes as he smiles, a shark-like grin that highlights his teeth and the gleam of white attracts Minhyun’s focus. The fangs of Seongwoo’s canine teeth are barely visible in the dark ambient lighting and Minhyun can only make them out now that he is looking at them.

Seongwoo notices him staring and Minhyun quickly averts his eyes, panning around to take in the restaurant's scenery.

If Minhyun’s boss Jisung walked in and saw him now, the other man would probably be shocked to learn that Minhyun has been sitting and chatting with a stranger for close to three hours, having finished their dinner long ago. As a friendly and sociable person, Yoon Jisung has been valiantly trying to convince Minhyun to go out on more social outings with him and their department ever since Minhyun had first joined the team, however Minhyun rarely agrees. Even though he finds Jisung’s company pleasant, somehow Minhyun usually prefers to spend most of his time alone.

Minhyun is broken out of his musings by another question.

“Would you say that you are rather unattached then?” asks Seongwoo, voice silky-smooth. He adds, clarifying, "To your life?”

Defensively, Minhyun bites back. “Who are you to judge how I live my life?” 

“Certainly not. This is a judgement-free zone.” replies Seongwoo coolly, lifting up both of his palms in the air with a seemingly benevolent expression. “I’m gauging you, actually.”

“Gauging me?” parrots Minhyun, confusion palpable in his tone.

The man mutters something quietly with a smirk. Straining his ears, to Minhyun it sounds like he said something along the lines of _‘ah, you were always such fun to rile up’_ but that does not make much sense.

At normal volume, Seongwoo says “You see, my lifestyle is quite free and easy. Some might call me an ‘aimless wanderer’ but I prefer the term ‘free soul’. I’m able to see the sights, meet all sorts of random folk, and get myself into quite a bit of mischief, if you will.”

“And you wanted to gauge my reaction to that?” prompts Minhyun uncertainly when the other man does not care to elaborate any further.

“Perhaps.” says the man, eyeballing his empty glass.

“It’s so hard to get a straight answer out of you. You’re slippery. You’re like a fox.” says Minhyun, unable to suppress the pout in his voice that naturally surfaces at Seongwoo’s succinct reply.

This gets a bigger reaction out of his partner. Breaking down into a giggle fit, Seongwoo dabs at the corner of his eyes in between staccato hiccups of laughter, and waits until he has composed himself before replying.

“That makes two of us."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


An elderly woman visits Minhyun’s shrine today.

She is a frail little thing but she carries with her a strong and determined will that Minhyun admires in humans. Although sunny, the wind today is especially biting and Minhyun observes her clothes flapping as she hobbles along the path towards his clearing. 

Lifting an arm, Minhyun flicks his hand once and the wind dies down to a gentle warm breeze. 

It takes a small amount of his meagre power but Minhyun decides that it is a worthwhile cause.

The woman approaches his shrine bearing fruits and teacakes that are local delicacies in the province. Minhyun smiles at her warmly even though he knows that she is unable to see him and curls up at the foot of his altar to sit with her. He will wait until she leaves before eating the offerings. 

It has been years since he has received these particular treats and he is looking forward to savouring them; he especially likes the taste of the teacakes that are specialties of the nearby human village.

The woman kneels down and bows her head to pray. With her eyes closed and expression solemn, Minhyun thinks that she looks a lot older, tracing the lines of her wrinkles with his eyes. 

He remembers her.

This woman is a regular visitor from the village, and Minhyun knows her and her life story well. Although he has not seen her lately, Minhyun still recognises the warmth of her prayers in his soul.

She tells him that the days continue to steadily pass her by, that she is older now and will not be around for long. Nowadays, it is getting harder to do things and she feels her strength leaving her slowly.

Minhyun empathises, truly, more than a god should compared to a mere human.

 _His days are numbered too._

He raises a hand to her’s and gives it a comforting pat that she will not be able to feel.

Drawing his hand back, he listens as she continues her story, telling him that this will be her final visit to his shrine. She loves the forest and this village but it is time to leave it behind. Instead, she will be going to live with her son and his wife, far away from here and closer to the city.

When she leaves, Minhyun bids her goodbye and sends with her as many blessings as his strength allows him to these days.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The demon has started bringing food with him on his regular visits.

On this day, Seongwoo delivers to Minhyun the village teacakes that he is so fond of, accompanied by a delicate white tea that the fox spirit has never tried before.

Minhyun is not quite sure how Seongwoo had discovered his penchant for the little cakes but perhaps it is a ploy to finally get him to take off his mask and eat one of his presents in front of the demon.

“You should eat it while it’s still fresh and the tea is hot.” comments Seongwoo, breaking apart his own teacake with his fingers.

The tiny crumbs spill everywhere on the wooden floor of the shrine, irking Minhyun.

“It tastes better if you just bite it.” says Minhyun, before tacking on “It’s also less messy."

Seongwoo chuckles and dusts off his fingers. “Why don’t you show me then?”

The demon leans closer, breaching into Minhyun’s space and taps a finger lightly on the edge of Minhyun’s mask.

“Don’t do that.” chides the fox spirit, batting Seongwoo’s hand away.

Laughing, the demon turns his attention back to another teacake, making a throwaway comment as he crumbles the fresh cake into bite-sized chunks. 

“Aren’t foxes supposed to be mischievous and playful? What’s got you so uptight, little fox?”

Minhyun stays silent and frowns from behind his mask.

 _There is plenty to be worried about when you are sitting and having tea with a demon._

Minhyun debates with himself internally as he watches Seongwoo polish off another cake and begin swirling the tea leaves in his cup innocently, like a deceptively docile child.

Looking up at the endless blue sky, Minhyun weighs his options.

 _Maybe this was not always the case, but he does not have much to lose now._

Lifting both hands, his movement steals Seongwoo’s attention away from his teacup and onto Minhyun as he pushes his mask up and off his face, settling it reverently on the floor beside the teapot.

Gazing up at the demon’s shocked face, Minhyun calmly replies as he takes a teacake for himself.

“Don’t look so surprised."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It is a rare feat to render a serpent-tongued demon such as Seongwoo himself speechless but he finds himself at a loss for words.

Ong Seongwoo has a inclination to jump around from place to place, growing restless when caged within the same routine for too long. Whilst journeying between the sea and the mountains, Seongwoo had made the flippant decision to venture into the obscure forest that laid at the base of the mountain range.

As he was leisurely exploring the woods, Seongwoo had caught wind of the scent of a diminishing spirit, its presence faint but sharply distinct. When he had pursued the trail, Seongwoo had been surprised to find that it did not belong to a wandering lost soul, but rather to a deity, and one that was graceful and dripping in elegance: the once-powerful fox god of the local human village. 

At first, Seongwoo had been lured in by the prospect of feeding on this rare find and had planned on scoping out the other’s strength under the guise of being human, before ultimately overpowering and consuming the other.

However the actual events did not unfold according to plan.

Unaccountably, the fox spirit had caught his interest and Seongwoo decided that he could spare some time to play with his food before he ate it. Initially, the demon found Minhyun’s distrust amusing and his reactions easy to play with, but over time Seongwoo had found himself coming back again and again to pry deeper into what made up Hwang Minhyun.

Demons have a tendency to come across acquaintances regularly but make many enemies and few companions, especially with Seongwoo’s unencumbered lifestyle. It had been oddly nice for Seongwoo to keep returning to the same place and be able to find Minhyun unwillingly waiting for him.

What had begun as idle visits to pass the days until the fox god reached his untimely end, had now become something that Seongwoo looked forward to, even going so far as to hope that things could continue as they were for longer.

After he had started dropping by on a frequent basis, Seongwoo found himself thinking of new and different gifts to bring that might hold Minhyun’s attention, almost making a contest out of whether he could draw out a better response from the fox god this time. 

Unwittingly, thoughts of Minhyun had begun to occupy his mind more and more, and privately, Seongwoo had even tossed around ideas of what the spirit might look like underneath that shiny fox mask and how he could induce Minhyun into removing it. 

Despite this, Seongwoo had brushed off these thoughts as flights of fancy that he entertained solely for his own amusement. 

It was a challenge, a game for him to play to pass time.

Seongwoo is not quite sure what he was expecting under that mask but it was not this. He had been only half-joking when he had boldly suggested that Minhyun should shed his mask.

In hindsight it makes perfect sense, of course a mythical fox god would have a suitably beautiful face, with gorgeous fox-like eyes, to match the angelic voice and refined composure that Seongwoo was already aware of.

Minhyun’s face holds a cold type of regal beauty that makes Seongwoo, an age-old powerful demon, feel inadequate in his presence, like he should kneel down and offer tribute to the god.

Seongwoo is so busy being enraptured by the sight of Minhyun that he almost misses the other’s words.

“Don’t look so surprised.” utters the fox spirit, the corners of his mouth lifting up prettily as he breaks out into a smile.

Minhyun smiles and Seongwoo stares.

The change in expression softens his entire countenance, making Minhyun look more human and almost cute.

An innocent smile that signifies the beginning of Seongwoo’s own self-induced downfall.

He had not been expecting to make any progress on his little game and he certainly was not expecting to grow  _attached._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The demon finds him lying on his side today.

Minhyun feels cold - _can spirits even feel cold?_ \- Minhyun is not sure but he imagines that this is what it must be like whenever the humans complain about the weather, huddled up in their long coats and seeking warmth from each other. 

His following has pathetically dwindled down to a mere five believers. 

When the wind blows Minhyun feels as though it could pass straight through him and take little parts of his soul away with it.

He leaves his mask off now that he has already revealed himself to Seongwoo; there is no point in hiding anymore. If another demon or malevolent human found him today, they would be able to easily overpower him, weak as he is. 

Minhyun is so focused on his feelings that he does not hear the demon approach.

“If you go any lower, you’ll start fusing into the ground.” remarks Seongwoo in lieu of a proper greeting.

Twisting his head around, Minhyun cranes his neck to peer up at Seongwoo from the floor. The other man looks handsome as always, even from this unflattering angle. Belatedly, Minhyun wonders if the demon has put on some kind of glamour to make his outward appearance so attractive.

Over the course of their meetings, Minhyun no longer fears being confronted by Seongwoo’s sudden presence, in fact he feels safer now that the other demon is here with him. 

 _How ironic._

Seongwoo sets down his usual bag and lowers himself to the ground as well, facing Minhyun so that they are level with each other and laying eye-to-eye.

In the sanctuary of the clearing, Minhyun breathes out a candid admission.

“It’s going to happen soon. I can feel it.” whispers the fox spirit, closing his eyes and resigning to his fate.

There is a pause as Seongwoo processes his thoughts before replying.

“Are you sure?” he asks, fingers tugging at an errant weed sprouting up from beneath the wooden floorboards.

“Yeah.” Minhyun confirms, opening his eyes again to stare at the trees past Seongwoo. He sighs before turning to address Seongwoo properly. “Shouldn’t you be happy?”

The demon says nothing.

Minhyun continues, tail wriggling in agitation behind his back. "This is what you’ve been waiting for since the start. You can finally stop wasting your time now."

“It’s not a waste. I enjoy your company.” states the demon, responding immediately.

Abruptly, Seongwoo sits up and shuffles over to his bag, extracting a strange flat wooden square and an assortment of black and white pebbles. 

“What is this?” asks Minhyun from the floor, face scrunched up in confusion.

“It’s a game the humans play called _baduk_. Have you heard of it?” explains Seongwoo, laying the board down and separating the stones into piles according to colour.

“No, but what does this have to do with anything?” says Minhyun, sitting up and eyeing the game pieces with interest.

“That’s alright, I can teach you. You’ll pick it up quickly, I think. The humans have simple games.” Seongwoo says, passing the white stones to Minhyun and keeping the black ones for himself.

“You didn’t answer my question.” complains Minhyun, without any bite in his voice as he complacently picks up a white pebble and looks at Seongwoo expectantly.

“I thought you might like to try it, that’s all.” Seongwoo directs Minhyun’s stone to the centre of the board with his hand, instructing him to leave it there.

Avoiding the issue, Seongwoo adds “Let’s play for now."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Minhyun sits with his back against the altar, facing the forest as he sings.

He does not know very many songs; his repertoire mostly consists of olden folk songs, classics that the villagers had sung during festivals every year until that tradition died down.

The lyrics of this particular song are sad even though the tune is uplifting. His voice rings out sharply in the clearing, holding the notes steadier than Minhyun feels inside.

 _It is time._

“You have a very pretty voice, little fox.” 

He does not remember closing his eyes but when he opens them, Seongwoo is smiling down at him.

Minhyun tries to return the smile but he does not think that it looks sincere. His whole being feels empty, like he is a hollow vase that is cracking at the edges, moments away from splintering into a thousand tiny pieces.

His demon bends down before him, quietly probing “How are you feeling?”

There is no point in beating around the bush.

“It’s today.” says Minhyun weakly.

Seongwoo tuts, lifting his hands towards Minhyun before aborting the gesture halfway. “Are you sure?”

Minhyun nods.

“Positive.”

Seongwoo hums but makes no move to take any further action. He seems complacent to stay here, hunched over and smiling softly in front of Minhyun’s crumpled form.

“You should absorb me before I disappear completely.” says Minhyun pragmatically, laying all of his cards on the table. 

At this point, he would be happy to let Seongwoo consume his soul. With a weary body and an unfulfilled heart, Minhyun knows that he has no further purpose on this earthly plane, no followers to care for, and no liberty to leave his final resting place. 

He will live and die bound to this shrine.

Allowing his demonic friend to partake in his soul seems like a fitting present for the companionship Seongwoo has offered him these past months. 

Minhyun finds that he does not mind the idea much anymore.

Shaking his head, Seongwoo stands up and paces around along the stretch of wooden flooring. He walks up and down, muttering to himself hurriedly and ignoring Minhyun’s presence.

Mentally and physically exhausted, Minhyun has little options other than to wait.

Seongwoo stops at the other end of the altar and spins on his heel, running a hand through his carefully styled hair before facing Minhyun.

“I don’t usually offer this.” Seongwoo says, expression displaying his addled emotional state. 

The demon chuckles self-deprecatingly. “I never do, actually."

From his splayed out position on the floor, eyes drooping tiredly, Minhyun sends Seongwoo a questioning look.

“Listen,” begins Seongwoo, maintaining his distance, “when I absorb spiritual energy, I don’t have to take everything. I usually do, though.”

The demon licks his lips apprehensively and holds up a hand, signalling for Minhyun to wait for him to finish first before asking any more questions.

“When I consume you, I can leave a little bit of your essence. Everything that makes you, _you_ , and use it to give you a second chance at life again. I’ve never done it before, obviously, but I think I can.”

Minhyun can hear the uncertainty and determination in Seongwoo’s voice warring with each other as the demon’s burning gaze penetrates Minhyun to his very core.

Unbidden, Minhyun’s mouth drops open in amazement and the smallest flicker of hope, of  _longing._

“I can do it. I can make you human.” says Seongwoo, faux bravado evident in his voice even as his fingers tremble by his side.

The offer is terrifying. 

This is something that Minhyun has only fantasised about; how freeing it would be to experience the world from a human’s perspective. To live in a quaint village with a family and a circle of friends, to see the cities and the oceans and the isles. 

To taste, and to touch, and to love.

All Minhyun has ever wanted to do is to see more of the world. At first, he had been content with caring over the village people and the forest, but over time, the fox god had outlived his purpose and instead, a steady longing for what he could not have grew inside the privacy of his own heart.

 _A chance at being human._

Minhyun accepts the offer.

Rain begins to pour down from the skies, a light drizzle that picks up quickly, drenching the forest in tears as though mourning the loss of its loyal spirit protector.

Upon hearing his agreement, Minhyun’s closest friend left in the world kneels in front of him and cradles Minhyun’s face gently in both of his palms. 

“I promise this won’t hurt.” says Seongwoo, a sad smile gracing his face.

 _Physically, anyway._

Minhyun returns the smile with one of his own, solemn but not sorrowful. 

“I’m glad you found me.” says Minhyun, voice softer than a passing whisper.

He sincerely means it.

Sighing deeply, Seongwoo closes his eyes for a moment, and the rain soaks through his clothes and hair, matting it across his forehead. It makes him look smaller and more fragile than ever. 

Both of them stay unmoving, pressed together closely, breaths mingling in the rain.

Distantly, the sound of thunder roaring spurs Seongwoo into action, nodding decisively to himself and starting the process. Detachedly, Minhyun feels himself losing touch with reality, the edges of his vision start to fade away and it feels like his body is dissolving.

Maybe it is.

He tries to move his arms and legs but nothing happens. The only thing grounding Minhyun now is Seongwoo’s face in front of him, his hands on either side of Minhyun’s head.

“Will I remember you?” asks Minhyun belatedly, fighting to keep his eyes open.

The demon shakes his head. 

“It’s unlikely.” Seongwoo traces Minhyun’s facial features with his eyes one last time. “Do you want me to come and find you?"

Little remains of Minhyun now, his spiritual energy reduced to less than a raindrop in the ocean.

Still, he finds the strength to reply. 

His whisper carries in the wind, a caressing final breath that lingers in the air even after the fox spirit has disappeared completely.

 _“Please.”_

  
  
  
  


Alone now, Seongwoo pants out in exhaustion and lies down on the floor of the abandoned shrine. Around him, the rain continues to pour.

It takes a lot of energy to meddle with life and death - to play god, as the humans like to say.

It will be a while before Seongwoo will be able to find Minhyun again.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A knock sounds at his apartment door.

It is late and Minhyun is not expecting any visitors at this hour. He ignores it the first time in favour of sorting through papers and staring at the spreadsheets on his laptop. 

His unanticipated visitor is persistent and continues to knock loudly at the door.

Reluctantly, Minhyun saves his document and gets up. He is not sure who he was prepared to find upon opening the door, however there Ong Seongwoo stands at his doorstep, dressed in a casual outfit this time and looking self-assured as ever.

Smiling genially, Seongwoo lifts up a hand holding a plastic bag of takeaway food. 

“Can I come in?” asks Seongwoo but it appears to be merely a customary question because he does not look like he expects a refusal.  

That same persistent and strange little urge rears its head again, and propels Minhyun to invite Seongwoo inside his home. Logically, Minhyun knows that he should be freaking out over how Seongwoo had discovered his address and shown up unsolicited, especially since it is so late at night, but instead all he feels is comforted.

It is odd.

Everything about his relationship with Seongwoo is odd.

Waltzing into Minhyun’s apartment, Seongwoo sets the food down on the table where Minhyun has his work laid out and starts unpacking the boxes on an unoccupied area.

Minhyun watches Seongwoo from the entrance, unsure if he has made the right decision in allowing the other man in.

Every time that Seongwoo comes and finds him, Minhyun ends up feeling like the rug has been snatched out from under his feet, disrupting his carefully and meticulously constructed life and he is left to fumble blindly in the dark, unable to regain balance.

Walking over to the table, Minhyun notes that Seongwoo has emptied out the bag and is now fiddling with a sandy-coloured porcelain fox figure that Minhyun’s colleague Jaehwan had gifted him from a recent trip to Japan.

“That’s ironic.” mutters Seongwoo to himself.

“Hmm?” hums Minhyun, eyeing the fox figurine as well.

“Ah, it’s nothing.” says Seongwoo, placing it back down on the table. “Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“I ate early, so I can eat again. It’s okay.” assures Minhyun, sitting down. 

When he looks through what Seongwoo had actually brought with him, Minhyun notices that there are a lot of the items that match his tastes, even the dainty little teacakes. 

“Wow, how did you know I like these? They’re hard to find.” comments Minhyun, surprised at the other man’s choices.

“Well,” says Seongwoo, picking up a cake and examining it before setting it back down again. “do you ever feel like you have trouble recalling your memories?”

“No? Yes. I don’t know.” Minhyun frowns at the confusing response. 

It is a common reaction that the other man often elicits. 

Seongwoo smiles reassuringly and pushes a plate towards Minhyun. “Let’s just eat first, alright? I’ll explain later.”

Sitting close together and eating with Seongwoo feels calming, relaxing almost, and Minhyun finds himself quickly growing comfortable in the other’s presence.

“Distracting me with food seems to be a common tactic of yours.” comments Minhyun placidly, breaking apart his wooden chopsticks.

Barking out a laugh, Seongwoo picks up his own set of chopsticks and digs in.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Minhyun is in the midst of tediously recounting an explanation of his company’s organisational structure when Seongwoo cuts him off mid-sentence.

“Are you happy?” asks Seongwoo, apropos of nothing.

Taken aback, Minhyun stutters out “Is this about what I said at the restaurant last time?”

Standing up, Seongwoo walks around the table and stops before Minhyun, looking down at him. 

Something about this scene causes the faintest twinges of nostalgia to resonate within Minhyun.

“I-“ starts Minhyun, unsurely. “I don’t know.”

“Minhyun.” says Seongwoo, sending him a remarkably sweet smile. “Are you happy?”

Blinking rapidly, Minhyun answers more confidently this time, baring his heart in the open.

“Yes. But sometimes I feel like something is missing and it seems like you might have the answers I’m looking for.” confesses Minhyun honestly.

With a fondness that leaks into his smile, Seongwoo cups Minhyun’s face in his palms and bends down.

“Allow me to be selfish this once.” he says as he lays a heartfelt kiss on Minhyun’s mouth.

  
  
  
  


Their lips touch and a lifetime of memories explode inside Minhyun’s head.

**Author's Note:**

> lbr this was like 9k of ong winning minhyun over with food. goals tbh.
> 
> thanks for reading! i sincerely hope you enjoyed it~ ♡


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